The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Not sure if this is straying too far from Matsumoku-specific theme of the site, but would it be OK to have a thread that helps ID and describe some aftermarket pickups that folks might try in their Mat guitars? I've amassed a small collection, and would be curious to identify some of them and compare them to the outputs & tonalities of some of the MMK pickups I have in Vantages already.

Let me know, I'll start with a couple of posts so you all can see where I'm going with this...

je

EDIT: OK, so I'm sitting at home sick again (pretty much been ill since Thanksgiving, this sucks!) so I ended up with 12 pickups posted. Hope this ends up being a useful discussion, or at least shortcuts to some resources. I've looked at the Duncan and Dimarzio company pages, and checked out their .pdf lit.

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#1

This one's a Dimarzio, most likely either a Dual Sound or a Super Distortion ("Stupid Distortion" ). Reads 13.23k, has black & white conductors & a shield. It's at least from the mid-80s, likely much earlier. Can anybody confirm, or point me to resources for a positive ID? Wiring options? Descriptions, other than the "loud & furry" that I remember?

Thanks,

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#2

Another Dimarzio, around the same age, no newer than ~'85. Memory says it's a "PAF", but I don't really know. Reads 7.70k, has black & white conductors with a braided shield like a Gibson.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#3 & #4

These have no markings, and I can't remember where they came from. They read very similarly, 11.75k and 11.88k, and have a clear center conductor insulation with a copper shielding. They're very deep compared to the others.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#5

Seymour Duncan, my memory said "Jazz" or "PAF" but measurement & newly uncovered notes are denying that. It may be an SH-6, or Duncan Distortion ("Drunken Distortion" ). Measures 15.97k from blk to grn + shield with wht & red shorted.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#6

Seymour Duncan, pretty confident this is an early Jeff Beck SH-4 Lead. Measures 15.92k from blk to grn + shield with wht & red shorted. I've had this pickup in a few guitars & loved it, but don't think I've ever wired it up for any variations other than this- I'm really looking forward to trying other options.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#7

Another one I'm pretty sure of, this is most likely an early Dimarzio DLX. Measures 9.31 from blk to grn + shield with wht & red shorted. Had it in my Les Paul Special for a while to get the coil tap option, didn't love it and really didn't like the look, so I replaced it with a Gibson P100. Didn't love that (the P100 sounds OK, but needs to be potted), so I'll be going back to the original P90. Obviously then I'll need a new guitar for the extra DLX & P100 I'll have left over...did Aria make any SG Specials?

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#8

No name, standard-looking black humbucker. Polepieces & screws also black, if that's a clue. Has white, red & shield. Measures 10.4k from rd/shld, 5.14k from wht/shld and 5.25k from red/wht. Wax on the back like the Duncans, but no markings anywhere. Has another wire-exit hole diagonally opposite on the bottom plate.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#9

This one came in a box of spares from a friend that was getting out of the business of guitar repair. Decent construction, fairly hefty, nice quality chrome cover. I've never heard it. Measures 8.22k, has only a white conductor & shield in a blue jacket. Has the letter "R" stamped into the bottom plate, I'd guess that's for "rhythm". Also has the second wire-exit hole on the diagonal corner of the bottom plate, like #8 did.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

#10

Gibson P90 from my 1974 Les Paul 55, just for reference & for fun- it's a beefy-looking coil! Measures 7.58k with black center conductor & braided shield. GRRRRR!

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK